Portulaca plant named ‘SAKPOR002’

ABSTRACT

A  Portulaca  plant particularly distinguished by having a cherry red flower color, flower blooming period from spring to fall and a semi-mounding, upright, and vigorous plant growth habit, is disclosed.

Genus and species: Portulaca oleracea.

Variety denomination: ‘SAKPOR002’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety of Portulacaplant, botanically known as Portulaca oleracea, and referred to by thevariety name ‘SAKPOR002’. ‘SAKPOR002’ originated from a hybridization inKakegawa, Japan in 2006 between the female Portulaca line ‘Mo04-20B-V3’,an unpatented proprietary Portulaca breeding line having a red flowercolor and creeping growth habit, and the male Portulaca line ‘BB03-294’,an unpatented proprietary Portulaca breeding line with a red flowercolor and bushy growth habit.

In August 2006, the female parent line ‘Mo04-20B-V3’ and male parentline ‘BB03-294’ were crossed and F₁ seeds were obtained. In May 2007,the F₁ seed was sown in the greenhouse, cultivated and plant lines wereproduced with red, cherry red, rose, and yellow flowers having a bushyand vigorous plant habit. The plants were evaluated and plant line‘K2008-138’ was selected for its cherry red flower color, flowerblooming period from spring to fall, and vigorous plant growth habit.

In May 2008, ‘K2008-138’ was vegetatively propagated, cultivated, andevaluated. In August 2008, ‘K2008-138’ was confirmed to be fixed andstable. In May 2009, May 2010, and May 2011, ‘K2008-138’ wasvegetatively propagated to reconfirm its stability. ‘K2008-138’ wassubsequently named ‘SAKPOR002’ and its unique characteristics were foundto reproduce true to type in successive generations of asexualpropagation via vegetative cuttings.

SUMMARY

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of this new variety when grown under normalhorticultural practices in Salinas, Calif.

-   -   1. Cherry red flower color;    -   2. Flower blooming period from spring to fall; and    -   3. A vigorous plant growth habit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This Portulaca plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographswhich show the plant's overall plant habit including form, foliage, andflowers. The photographs are of a twelve-month-old plant grown inSalinas, Calif. under greenhouse conditions in the fall of 2012. Thecolors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventionalphotographic procedures.

FIG. 1 shows the overall plant habit of the plant grown in a pot.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up of the mature inflorescence of the plant.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘SAKPOR002’. The data which define thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out inSalinas, Calif. Data was collected on twelve-month-old plants grownunder greenhouse conditions in Salinas, Calif. in the fall of 2012.Color references are to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The RoyalHorticultural Society of London (R.H.S.), 4^(th) edition (2001).

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Portulacaceae.        -   Botanical.—Portulaca oleracea.        -   Common.—Purslane.        -   Designation.—‘SAKPOR002’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Portulaca line ‘Mo04-20B-V3’            (unpatented).        -   Male parent.—Proprietary Portulaca line ‘BB03-294’            (unpatented).-   Growth:    -   -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—About 2 weeks.        -   Environmental conditions for plant growth.—The terminal 1.0            to 1.5 inches of an actively growing stem was excised. The            vegetative cuttings were propagated in five to six weeks.            The base of the cuttings were dipped for 1 to 2 seconds in a            1:9 solution of Dip 'N Grow (1 solution:9 water) root            inducing solution immediately prior to sticking into the            cell trays. Cuttings were stuck into plastic cell trays            having 98 cells, and containing a moistened peat moss-based            growing medium. The cuttings were misted with water from            overhead for 10 seconds every 30 minutes until sufficient            roots were formed. Rooted cuttings were transplanted and            grown in 20 cm diameter plastic pots in a glass greenhouse            located in Salinas, Calif. Pots contained a peat moss-based            growing medium. Soluble fertilizer containing 20% nitrogen,            10% phosphorus and 20% potassium was applied once a day or            every other day by overhead irrigation. Pots were            top-dressed with a dry, slow release fertilizer containing            20% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus and 18% potassium. The typical            average air temperature was 24° C.-   Plant description:    -   -   Habit and form.—Semi-mounding, vigorous, and upright.        -   Life cycle.—Annual.        -   Height (from soil line to top of foliage).—Approximately 8.0            cm.        -   Spread.—Approximately 35.0 cm.        -   Flowering requirements.—Blooms repeatedly from spring to            fall.-   Stems:    -   -   General description.—Round, slightly rough with lateral            ridges.        -   Stem length.—17.0 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.3 cm.        -   Internode length (average).—1.0 cm.        -   Color.—RHS 182B (Greyed-Red).        -   Pubescence.—Absent.        -   Anthocyanin color.—RHS 182B (Greyed-Red).        -   Branching.—Abundant.-   Leaves:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Shape.—Oblanceolate with cuspidate tip in mature leaves and            acute tips in younger leaves near the apex of the stem.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Rounded.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Surface appearance (both surfaces).—Dull, soft.        -   Surface texture (both surfaces).—Smooth, no pubescence.        -   Length.—2.5 cm.        -   Width.—1.0 cm.        -   Texture.—Smooth.        -   Thickness.—0.1 cm.        -   Color.—Upper surface: Mature leaves: Closest to RHS 146C            (Yellow-Green) with RHS 59B (Red-Purple) at edge. Young            leaves: RHS 146C (Yellow-Green). Lower surface: Mature            leaves: Closest to RHS 146C (Yellow-Green) with RHS 59B            (Red-Purple) at edge. Young leaves: RHS 146C (Yellow-Green).        -   Venation.—Absent.        -   Petiole.—Absent.        -   Fragrance.—Absent.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—Solitary, sessile.        -   Flowering habit.—Determinate.        -   Time to bloom from propagation.—6 to 8 weeks.        -   Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant.—1 day.        -   Fragrance.—Absent.-   Flower bud:    -   -   Surface appearance and texture.—Shiny, pubescent.        -   Length.—1.0 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Color.—RHS 146C (Yellow-Green) with RHS 59B (Red-Purple).-   Corolla:    -   -   Shape.—Five distinct petals, free with an indent at tip of            petal.        -   Flower diameter.—3.5 cm.        -   Flower depth.—1.0 cm.        -   Petals.—Shape: Heart-shaped with a square base. Apex:            Retuse. Base: Square. Margin: Double lobed, slightly            sinuate. Surface texture (both surfaces): Glabrous. Length:            2.0 cm. Width: 1.0 cm. Color: Upper surface: RHS 43A (Red).            Lower surface: RHS 24B (Orange) with RHS 43C (Red) streaks.            Upper Base: RHS 9A (Yellow).-   Calyx:    -   -   Arrangement.—Composed of two sepals, free.        -   Sepals.—Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Cuspidate. Margin: Entire,            slightly sinuate. Color (both surfaces): Closest to RHS 146D            (Yellow-Green). Texture (both surfaces): Smooth. Appearance:            Double lobed, slightly sinuate. Length: 0.7 cm. Diameter:            0.6 cm.-   Reproductive organs: Androecium.    -   -   Stamen number.—Many.        -   Stamen color.—RHS 7A (Yellow).        -   Stamen form.—Free.        -   Stamen length.—0.6 cm.        -   Filament color.—RHS 7A (Yellow).        -   Pollen color.—RHS 17A (Yellow-Orange).        -   Pollen amount.—Abundant.        -   Ovary diameter.—0.3 cm.        -   Ovary color.—RHS 143C (Yellow-Green).        -   Placental arrangement.—Central.        -   Pistil number.—1 (per inflorescence).        -   Pistil length.—1.0 cm.        -   Stigma color.—RHS 7A (Yellow).        -   Stigma length.—0.2 cm.        -   Style length.—0.4 cm.        -   Style color.—RHS 7A (Yellow).        -   Seed production.—Absent.-   Disease and insect resistance: None observed.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL LINES AND KNOWN VARIETY

‘SAKPOR002’ is a new and unique variety of Portulaca owing to its cherryred flower color, flower blooming period from spring to fall and asemi-mounding, upright, and vigorous plant growth habit. ‘SAKPOR002’ isdistinguished from its parents mainly by plant growth habit as shown inTable 1 below:

TABLE 1 Comparison with Parental Lines Female Parent Male ParentCharacteristic ‘SAKPOR002’ ‘Mo04-20B-V3’ ‘BB03-294’ Flower color Cherryred Rose Red Plant growth habit Semi-mounding, Bushy Bushy vigorous,upright

‘SAKPOR002’ is a new and unique variety of Portulaca owing to its cherryred flower color, flower blooming period from spring to fall and asemi-mounding, upright, and vigorous plant growth habit. ‘SAKPOR002’ ismost similar to the commercial Portulaca variety ‘Cupcake Cherry Baby’(patent status unknown); however there are differences as described inTable 2 below.

TABLE 2 Comparison with Similar Variety Characteristic ‘SAKPOR002’‘Cupcake Cherry Baby’ Flower petal color, RHS 43A (Red) Darker thanupper surface ‘SAKPOR002’ Plant growth habit Semi-mounding, upright,Trailing and vigorous

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Portulaca plant as shown anddescribed herein.